Student Viewpoint

Our ‘Student Perspective’ blogger Demetrius Younger has been working diligently with his research and exploration of emerging technologies.  This week Demetrius offers two reviews on two different learning management systems—Desire2Learn and Blackboard.

For his first review, Demetrius was assigned the task of looking at Desire2Learn (D2L).  Included in Demetrius’ D2L review are his observations of the product.

Likewise, in his second review—he observes and examines what Blackboard has to offer with its latest upgrade (SP11), which is coming soon (May 17^th to be precise) to SU. 

Notice: As referenced above, SU will be upgrading to Blackboard SP11 on the weekend of May 17^th. Blackboard will be unavailable that weekend starting at 5pm on Friday, May 17^th.  Users should not plan to use Blackboard at all on this reserved Bb upgrade weekend.  A notice will be posted on the Bb login page should the upgrade finish early. 

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Desire2Learn – Review

By Demetrius Younger

I had a very pleasant experience using the Desire2Learn program. The very first thing I noticed was that the home page was definitely less crowded in terms of the amount of links and tabs they have. I do like the My Grades and Attendance part of Blackboard tools, a feature I was unable to find in the Desire2Learn program. The tool bar for Desire2Learn I found to be very direct and simple to use. The user can hit the "Select a Course" tab to gain access to the desired course they seek.  The course sections in desire2learn would allow students to better keep up with assignments and interact more easily with teachers. Blackboard's SP9 version can be confusing to navigate through, especially when it comes to turning in an assignment. On desire2learn the content, quizzes, and dropbox, where assignments can be submitted electronically, are clearly displayed in the top right corner on the courses home page. 

Desire2learn's editing of News and the WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) feature was probably my favorite feature to learn about. This portion of the program allows the teachers to post news or outside sources relevant to class in order to further educate their students outside of the classroom. Images, videos, games, and twitter feeds are all examples of things that can be uploaded to the news feed which is located under the "Insert Stuff" section in WYSIWYG. WYSIWYG is also very compatible with the Word application making documents easier to paste into the section. Everything the user needs to properly format their document is available, whether it be bolding print or inserting math symbols. If needed students may film themselves or a group which creates video notes for later review. Direct Integration with YouTube and Flickr will assist the teacher when she wants to show the class a video, and the students would benefit by simply being able to follow along with their instructor. 

Another thought I had that was not covered in either D2L or the current Bb program was an easier way to view the teachers information, such as room number, office number, office hours, and the title of the books needed for that course. I believe these should be displayed at the top of every individual courses home page. That being said desire2learn is definitely my preference between the two. The program is just much more user friendly and versatile than Blackboard SP9. Users can make the program centered around them instead of having to figure out the program.

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Before delving into Demetrius’ Blackboard review, you may want to see ‘What’s New’…

Also, check out the Blackboard Student Help available on the Official Blackboard Help Site @ https://help.blackboard.com/en-us/Learn/9.1_SP_10_and_SP_11/Student

Note—Blackboard features portrayed on the Blackboard site may or may not be offered in the SU instance of Blackboard. 

 —And without further ado…

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Blackboard SP11 Review

By Demetrius Younger

This new Blackboard solves all the student and faculty issues to me. It is very straightforward, even more so than Desire2Learn, and all vital things I mentioned in my review of D2L have been answered. The only thing I feel would benefit this site is the YouTube/Flickr integration, as well as the video tutorials, like the ones about filming and camera angles. 

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Stay tuned to the Student Tech Blog for all the latest in SU technology and student technology topics—and be on the lookout for Demetrius’ next review. 

If you have any suggestions for student improvements or student changes for Blackboard, please contact Demetrius via email @ bbsupport@su.edu

As always—your best resource for all things SU Blackboard is the SU Blackboard Support site @ https://www.su.edu/bb

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Tech Tutorials

Need a refresher on PowerPoint?  Want to learn how to use Photoshop or brush up on your Excel skills?  Looking for guidance on Effective Presentation Design?  

Atomic Learning offers all of the above, and the aforementioned tutorials are really just a sample of the training available through Atomic Learning.

Atomic Learning connects you with a variety of cutting edge training resources.

--AND--accessing the Atomic Learning tutorials collection is easy!

Just log into SU's Blackboard site -- 
Then click on the Atomic Learning link located under Bb Tools--

This link will direct you to a browsing area where you can surf through the Atomic Learning training library. 

Check out the Atomic Learning site today!--and don't forget to read the "Student Perspective" AL site review posted by our guest blogger, Demetrius Younger @
http://bbstudentinfo.blogspot.com/2013/01/student-viewpoint-atomic-learning-site.html

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Surveys Made Easy with Google Forms

Do you have a project that requires you to collect data on a topic?  Do you need to do an opinion poll or survey for one of your courses?  Google Forms may be able to assist.  

To create a Google Form -- go to your Google Drive
(access Google Drive by signing in to your Google account)

Select Create to create a new document--
From there select Form

Selecting Form will open up an Edit form page.  

On the Edit form page you will be able to edit your form name, add items--and choose a theme.  

To add items to your form, click Add Item.  After selecting Add Item, you will see a variety of different items and question types including -- multiple choice, text, paragraph text, checkboxes, grid, drop-down lists with options, scale (which will allow participants to rate something on a scale), and so on.


Once you have completed your survey, and you want to make it available to participants--Select Accepting Responses in the Form menu.

(From the Edit form page, go to See responses, select Spreadsheet--then go to Form in the form menu.  Select Accepting Responses.  Under that same menu tab, you will be able to go back to 'Edit form' if you need to make any changes to your form.)

For other useful tips about creating and editing Google forms - 
Visit the Google Drive Support page on Forms

For more information concerning Google Forms and Google Drive, visit the Google Drive site @https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/drive/start/index.html?authuser=0

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Share Tech Ideas via Xplore It

Some of you may be asking - "What is Xplore It?"

'Xplore It' is a fun--and inspiring opportunity available at Shenandoah University for you to share the innovative and creative ways you are using technology in your learning experience.  Through 'Xplore It', not only will you have the chance to reveal your creative skills, but you will also be sharing ideas that have perpetuated your productivity and success as a student.  

Intrigued?  Read on...

**Welcome to Shenandoah University's new technology initiative.**

This program was created to allow you, the student, to help showcase the many ways technology is used at Shenandoah University. The videos you submit will be used to demonstrate to prospective students, educational leaders, professional accreditors and other interested parties how Shenandoah U is using technology to enhance the collegiate experience.

We are looking for student-produced videos around five minutes or less that demonstrate the many ways our students and faculty embrace the technical revolution happening right before our eyes.

What you submit is entirely up to you.

Please visit upload.su.edu to find out more.

**Information take from the upload.su.edu website.

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Bb Mobile Learn for iPad - Now Available!

Check it out...

Bb Mobile Learn is now an iOS device determining.  Meaning, if you open Mobile Learn on an iPad you will get the iPad version--and if you open it on the iPhone you will get the phone version.  

Want to know how to get Bb Mobile Learn?  Simply search for ShenandoahU in the App Store, then download the SU app.   

If you would like to know more about the SU app, please visit - mobi.su.edu 

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Student Viewpoint - Atomic Learning Site

Please join us in welcoming our new Student Viewpoint guest blogger, Demetrius Younger.  IC recently selected and enlisted the help of Demetrius, who is a Shenandoah student, to review SU technology and to provide us with a student perspective.  Starting this month, his reviews will be posted to the Student Technology blog under the title Student Viewpoint.  Below you will find his first review for the Atomic Learning site.  

Remember to follow the Student Technology blog for up-to-date information on SU technology and look for future postings from our student guest writer, Demetrius Younger.  

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Atomic Learning Review 
by Demetrius Younger

I found Atomic Learning would be very beneficial to students and their education. The site allows students to more easily look up information on how to work with different applications such as Excel, Access, Powerpoint, and Word. Students are also able to filter information in order to further specify their desired information. The assessment test I believe will serve both teachers and students as a great measuring stick of their technological skills.This would allow students and faculty to identify their strengths and improve their weaknesses. The storyboard guide would help incoming freshman especially with their FYS classes when they have to create an I-movie. Atomic learning teaches the student about different types cameras, camera shots, editing, and story lines, along with videos to give an even clearer definition. Training in Atomic Learning is very simple to do whether the user sets it up themselves or follows the recommended training provided by administrators.  Atomic Learning I believe would allow students to learn at their own pace and more easily review material for classes. The site is not difficult at all to navigate through and tutorials are provided to avoid confusion. Overall I really enjoyed learning about Atomic Learning and I would definitely recommend the site to students.

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To access the Atomic Learning site, please log into Blackboard and click on the Atomic Learning link located under Bb Tools.  

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Reminder - Today

INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTING TO UPGRADE SELF-SERVICE

Institutional Computing will be upgrading the Self-Service application server beginning at 1 p.m. today. While the upgrade takes place, you may experience intermittent service disruptions with the Self-Service application. The upgrade is expected to be completed by close of business today. If you need assistance with a software installation during the outage, please contact the Help Desk at 540/665-5555 orhelpdesk@su.edu. You may also monitor the IC Help Desk page on Facebook for status updates (the link is available in the Self-Service app before logging in).

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Reminder - IC to Install Windows Updates Tonight

INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTER TO INSTALL WINDOWS UPDATES

Institutional Computing (IC) will install Windows Out-of-Band updates on university servers tonight, Jan. 18, at 9 p.m. IC expects to finish  all updates by midnight. Other network services will not be disrupted during this period. If you have problems logging onto the network, or if you get disconnected, simply wait 10 to 15 minutes and try again. If you must work tonight between 9 p.m. and midnight, save your work often, and be prepared for the servers to be rebooted.

Notice posted in the January 17, 2013 edition of SUN-e.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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IC Notice for Tomorrow

INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTER TO INSTALL WINDOWS UPDATES

Institutional Computing (IC) will install Windows Out-of-Band updates on university servers on Friday, Jan. 18, at 9 p.m. IC expects to finish  all updates by midnight. Other network services will not be disrupted during this period. If you have problems logging onto the network, or if you get disconnected, simply wait 10 to 15 minutes and try again. If you must work tonight between 9 p.m. and midnight, save your work often, and be prepared for the servers to be rebooted.

Posted in the January 17, 2013 edition of SUN-e.

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Java Announcement in Blackboard

Java Vulnerability

Posted on: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 in Blackboard Announcements

Oracle has released updates to resolve a recent “zero-day” vulnerability in Java version 1.7. While many security experts have recommended disabling Java on systems, that is not practical advice for SU users. Both Blackboard and Webadvisor use client side Java during user sessions. There are currently two supported versions of java, 1.6 and 1.7.  Version 1.6 is not affected by this “zero-day” vulnerability and Oracle has released a patch for 1.7. To see what version your computer is running browse to http://javatester.org/version.html.

Mac OSX Users you should be running at least version 1.6.0_35. You can update Java by clicking on the Apple menu and choose Software Update. Install all needed updates.

Windows Users (including Boot Camp or virtual Windows on a Mac) should be running version 1.6.0_38. You can download the 32-bit installer for 1.6.0_38 from http://java.com/en/download/manual_v6.jsp. Once the download is finished you will need to run the installer.

If you are running 1.7 you should be running version 1.7.0_11. To update java open your computer's Control Panel. Once the control panel is open Windows XP users can double click on the Java icon. Windows 7 users need to click on the Programs link and then the Java icon. In the Java Control Panel click on the Update tab and choose update now. If you have any questions please contact the help desk [helpdesk@su.edu | 540-665-5555]

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SU App Time

Connect to SU Resources on the go -
Visit -- http://mobi.su.edu/ to learn more about SU Mobile on iPhone and iPod Touch, Android and other devices.  

The SU app connects you to SU news, events, and directory as well as Blackboard and Xplore It.

Check it out for yourself...

Download the SU App today.


Visit http://mobi.su.edu/ for details on how to download the SU app for your mobile device.

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OMC Website Notice

TRANSITION TO NEW WEBSITE SERVER

As Shenandoah transitions to its new website server today, usersmay experience delays or disruptions in Web service. The Office of Marketing & Communications expects these disruptions to be settled within the next few days and apologizes for any inconvenience. Your continued patience is appreciated.

Posted in January 15, 2013 edition of SUN-e.

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Welcome Back!

A new semester is well underway...

To get you started, I offer a short list of areas to find information concerning SU Technology and SU Tech Support.


The IC Technology Help Desk is the place to start for all of your technology questions and needs.  

     Visit the Help Desk website for tutorials and SU technical support contact information.  
     (http://www.su.edu/helpdesk)

     

     Additionally, you can connect with the Help Desk Facebook page to stay informed with    
     up-to-date SU technology news and notices.

     Further, if you have a technology question feel free to contact the Help Desk either via   
     phone at (540) 665-5555 or email the Help Desk at helpdesk@su.edu



For Blackboard Support - 

The Blackboard Support site offers information on system requirements, browser setup and an awesome supply of student specific tutorials.  With the info offered on the Bb Support site, you will be well equipped with everything you need to get started on your Blackboard course(s).  

Please visit the Bb Support site at http://www.su.edu/bb

FRIENDLY REMINDER ABOUT EMAILING SUPPORT INQUIRIES- Always contact IC Help Desk support and Blackboard support from your SU email address. 

Best of luck to you this semester!

Remember to keep reading the blog for news and information on SU technology--and WELCOME BACK!

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IC Installing Windows Updates TONIGHT

INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTING INSTALLING WINDOWS UPDATES

Institutional Computing (IC) will install Windows updates on university servers tonight, Jan. 11, at 9 p.m. IC expects to complete all updates by midnight. Other network services will not be disrupted during this period. If you have problems logging onto the network, or if you get disconnected, simply wait 10 to 15 minutes and try again. If you must work tonight between 9 p.m. and midnight, save your work often, and be prepared for the servers to be rebooted.

Read More

Xplore It!

Some of you may be asking - "What exactly is Xplore It?"

Xplore It is a fun and exciting opportunity available at Shenandoah University for you to share the innovative and creative ways you are using technology in your learning experience.

Intrigued?  Read on...

**Welcome to Shenandoah University's new technology initiative.**

This program was created to allow you, the student, to help showcase the many ways technology is used at Shenandoah University. The information and videos you submit will be used to demonstrate to prospective students, educational leaders, professional accreditors and other interested parties how Shenandoah is using technology to enhance the collegiate experience.

We are looking for student-produced videos of five minutes or less that demonstrate the many ways our students and faculty embrace the technical revolution happening right before our eyes.

What you submit is up to you.

Please visit upload.su.edu to find out more.

**Information take from the upload.su.edu website.

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IC Updates Shenandoah's Server Names

INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTING UPDATES SHENANDOAH’S SERVER NAMES

Institutional Computing (IC) and the Office of Marketing & Communications (OMC) are working to change how Shenandoah’s server names are made available to the Internet. The proposed change will give Shenandoah more control over its Internet domain names, and the new service is expected to provide a level of security previously not available from Shenandoah’s prior Internet provider. At this time, no service disruption is expected.

Posted in the January 9, 2013 edition of the SUN-e.

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IC TO UPGRADE SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION

IC TO UPGRADE SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION

Institutional Computing will upgrade the self-service application server beginning at 1 p.m. today, Jan. 8. While the upgrade takes place, do not attempt to install software on your Mac using the Self Service application. It is expected that the upgrade will be complete and the self-service application server will back online by close of business on Thursday, Jan. 10. 

If you need assistance with a software installation during the outage, please contact the Help Desk at 540-665-5555 or helpdesk@su.edu. Youmay also monitor the IC Help Desk page on Facebook for status updates (the link is also available in the self-service app before logging in).

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Google Changes

Google Changes Going into Effect This Month

A posting on the Google Developers Blog has announced that some features will be going away starting this month.  Most notably is the ability to create Appointment Slots in Google Calendar. Further information can be attained by following this link: 
http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2012/12/winter-cleaning.html  
If you have any questions, please call the IC Help Desk at 540-665-5555.

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